Cell Phone Radiation Podcast Activity
Am I “frying my brain” with my cell phone?
Credit: Cell Phone PhilippinesCredit: iGizmoCredit: Arts and Opinion
Have you ever wondered if you’re frying your brain with your cell phone? Is it possible that using your cell phone could cause damage to your body?
Listen to a podcast between a New York Times Blog writer and the editor of Microwave News, a publication that reports on the potential health and environmental impacts of radiation. See what they have to say about how cell phone radiation works, and if your health is at risk when you use a cell phone.
Find the podcast at under Activity 2: Cell Phone Radiation Podcast NY Times Podcast
After listening to the podcast, answer the following questions. Use the space provided to write or type your responses. Provide sufficient explanations, and use evidence to support your responses. Refer to the attached rubric for guidance in how this assignment will be graded.
1)How does a cell phone use radiation to function?
2)What type of radiation do cell phones use? How is this different from other types of radiation?
3)How can radiation be harmful to people?
4)Do we know for sure if cell phones cause health risks? Why or why not?
5)Based on what you heard in this podcast, do you think you are “frying your brain” with your cell phone? Why or why not?
6)If you were a scientist, how would you test if cell phones cause health risks? What type of experiment might you design to figure out if you are frying your brain with your cell phone?
Activity Rubric
Total Possible Score: 30 points
(5 points per question)
Question Score / Content / Quality5 / Responseclearlyaddresses the question, and usesstrongevidence from the podcast to support the response. / Response provides clearand logicalexplanation.
4 / Responseclearlyaddresses the question and uses somewhat strongevidence from the podcast to support the response. / Response provides clearand logicalexplanation.
3 / Response somewhataddresses the question and uses weakevidence from the podcast to support the response. / Response provides somewhatclearand logical explanation.
2 / Response does notaddress the question and uses weakevidence from the podcast to support the response. / Response provides poorexplanation.
1 / Response does notaddress the question and uses noevidence from the podcast to support the response. / Response provides noexplanation.
0 / Response is incomplete or left blank.
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